Dinosaurs at Life: an easy autumn family day out

If you are after an autumn plan that keeps the kids occupied without a lot of effort, the Life Science Centre in Newcastle has a fairly obvious answer. The Great Dinosaur Escape is the exhibition running through the centre, and it is built around 25 colossal animatronic dinosaurs spread across the building, some of them standing four metres tall. The animatronics come from Dinosaurios Mexico, which made them in Mexico with a high level of realism, combining art, engineering and technology, and this is their UK debut.

The scale is the first thing that lands. There is a three-tonne T-Rex, a baby Stegosaurus, a Carnotaurus, and a nine-metre-long moving Tyrannosaurus rex housed in a 350 square metre enclosure. At the other end of the size scale, some of the dinosaurs have only just hatched or are tucked into their nests plotting mischief, which is the part that tends to catch the younger ones. The whole thing is included in the general admission science centre ticket, so there is no extra charge on top of entry.

That ticket covers a lot more than the dinosaurs, which is where the value really sits. The centre is split into zones: the Brain Zone, recommended for ages seven and up and taking about half an hour; the Space Zone, roughly an hour; the Wow Zone, around 45 minutes; the Experiment Zone, also for ages seven plus; the Play Zone; the Making Studios; and The Fossil Show. It is the kind of place where you can easily lose a few hours just moving from one room to the next.

If you want to make a full day of it, the planetarium is the other big draw. It is the largest and most advanced in the North, with state-of-the-art projectors, comfortable seats with space for wheelchairs and pushchairs, an analogue induction loop, and ear defenders available from reception for a refundable deposit. Bump in The Night is the one to know for younger families: a 360-degree immersive dome show written and produced by Life's own team and narrated by Maddie Moate, following a young child exploring strange shadows and noises with the help of a toy rabbit named Rags. It is aimed at under-fives but works for all ages, runs until 7 November, and is included in the entry ticket. There are other shows too, like the 20-minute Life: The Greatest Story, Sky Tonight – Andromeda, and Our Planet Earth – Gaia.

On the practical side, the centre sits at Times Square, NE1 4EP, about a five-minute walk from Newcastle Central Station and two minutes from the train and Metro station, so it is easy to reach without a car. Opening hours are Monday to Friday 10:00 to 13:00 and Saturday to Sunday 10:00 to 17:00, with changes during school holidays. During the Scottish school holidays, 12 to 16 October, it stays open as usual but gets busier during the day with local school groups, so a quieter visit is from 2pm onwards. Tickets are £15 with a voluntary donation or £13.60 without, for both adults and children aged three and over, with under-twos free and carers free. There is a 20% discount on tickets booked online with code TRAVEL20 or bought at the entrance, which applies to the science centre entry and requires proof of public transport travel that day. There is a café, a gift shop, and a free prepared lunch area with bottle and food warming equipment, so it is set up for families with small children.